Impact of membrane surface and module damage on virus removal and integrity in RO membranes (Netherlands)

Reverse osmosis (RO) membranes are effective for removing viruses and salts, yet their long-term integrity in full-scale spiral wound systems can be compromised by component and surface damage.

This study evaluates how various types of module damage—component, oxidative, and surface—affect virus removal using biological (natural virus markers) and non-biological (salt, rhodamine WT, pyranine) indicators.

Results highlight that while natural virus markers best reveal virus rejection capacity in compromised modules, fluorescent solutes more accurately assess active layer damage, underscoring the need for multiple indicators in membrane integrity assessments.